Andrey Goryanov

"Number 17; My House of Horrors" follows the tragic transformation of a single-family home in Vuhledar, Ukraine, amidst the destructive forces of war. The story begins with Marina, a homeowner who, along with her husband and two children, built her dream home on Sadovaya Street, 17, in Vuhledar. This house was a symbol of love, family, and stability, filled with the warmth of daily life and celebrations. But when war struck in February 2022, their home became a place of unspeakable sorrow, and their lives were abruptly upended. Olexii’s story provides a harrowing account of survival. Once an IT graduate, his life took a drastic turn when he was captured by Russian forces and held as a POW in the basement of Marina's home. His journey is one of starvation, injury, and suffering, but also of a miraculous rescue and, ultimately, hope.

Chancellor Otto von Bismarck, who forged the German Empire “with iron and blood,” once said that wars are won not by generals, but by teachers and priests. Following a similar logic, Russian President Vladimir Putin established Yunarmiya in 2016 — a nationwide system of military training for children aged eight to seventeen. This film offers an inside look at the lives and upbringing of the Yunarmiya cadets in the city of Vologda.